With all new starting lineup, Boston College hopes to take next step in ACC

Updated Oct. 22, 2024 7:10 a.m. ET

Associated Press

Boston College (20-16, 8-12 ACC)

A year after returning much of its lineup and making the jump from 16 wins to 20, BC has lost its top five scorers and top six in rebounds and minutes played from last season. The Eagles added seven players – four transfers and three freshmen.

Players to watch

G Dion Brown scored 19 points with 7.6 rebounds for Maryland-Baltimore County last year. His 607 points last season was a record for a UMBC sophomore. Only two players 6-foot-3 or under who averaged at least 19 points and seven rebounds – Brown and Providence’s Devin Carter, who was the No. 13 overall pick in the NBA draft.

F/C Chad Venning averaged 13.4 points and 4.6 rebounds for St. Bonaventure last season. G Roger McFarlane scored 14.8 points with 8.6 rebounds last season for Southeastern Louisiana. He was second in the Southland Conference in rebounding.

Departures and arrivals

BC lost every player who started more than seven games last season, including Quinten Post, Jaeden Zackery, Devin McGlockton and Claudell Harris. Donald Hand and Chas Kelley are the only returners who averaged double digits in minutes.

Top games

The Eagles open against The Citadel on Nov. 4, host South Carolina in the ACC-SEC matchup on Dec. 3 and No. 7 Duke on Dec. 18.

Facts and figures

BC lost 88% of its scoring, 82% of its rebounding and 88% of its assists from last year. … Venning and McFarlane come to BC with 1,000 points already in their careers. … With Kany Tchanda of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Luka Toews of Japan, it’s the ninth straight season BC has had at least two international players on its roster.

___

Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketball